The Threads That Bind Them
by LizzieBeth91
Summary: Eight years, eight different takes on the Weasley Christmas Jumpers.


**The Threads That Bind Them**

**Christmas Eve 1997**

Arthur smiles as he looks under the tree. There's more presents this year than there's been in many years. All the children are home from Hogwarts this year, so all of the soft bulky packages that herald the arrival of a Weasley jumper are here for once. He can't help but examine the name tags, and predict the colours of the wool the paper contains.

His own was easy, it'd be a dark blue, the colour of his eyes, the colour of the dress Molly was wearing the day he met her, the colour he'd painted their bedroom all those years ago. The colour he'd always associate with her.

Bill's was bound to be a slightly paler version of Arthur's own, a remnant from the days when he wanted to be exactly the same as his father.

Charlie's was always a soft gray colour, to match his eyes. He says he also likes it because it reminds him what the weather must be like in England, while he's away with the dragons.

Percy's was a rich, warm, chocolaty brown, a colour he'd picked many years ago out of the basket, sagely informing Molly that he liked that best because it'd always make him think of her and Ginny.

Arthur was willing to bet good money that Ron's would be maroon. He would also be willing to bet that complain about it, but he'd still wear it ragged.

Ginny's would change from year to year, but it was always some sort of pastel colour, possibly to accentuate her girly-ness amongst this rowdy group of boys. Arthur knew for a fact however that this year it was a lovely shade of green, because he'd picked it out of the workbasket himself.

Of course, this year there was more than the usual number. This year they had additions to the family.

Harry's was a bottle green, the same colour as his dress robes. Arthur knew that from now on, there wouldn't be any question about it not being Harry's colour.

Fleur's was purple, the same colour of her wedding decorations, while Hermione's was a rose pink, decided on once Ron explained that her favourite flowers were in fact, roses.

George's was the hardest to pick, seeing as this year there wouldn't be a matching one beside it. For as long as Arthur could remember, Molly had been knitting two jumpers, in contrasting colours. One with an 'F' one with a 'G'. Closer inspection of the parcels informed Arthur that there were two of them. Beside George's was a package, covered in tear drops, with a shakily written label. To Fred, love always Mum and Dad. Arthur gently picks it up, and carries it up the stairs to his bedroom. In there he places it inside his wardrobe, which is where it remains for many years to come.

**Christmas Day 1998**

Bill smiles as he looks around the room, marveling at how much his family had grown.

Ron and Hermione on the couch opposite laughing, both of them wearing their jumpers, Hermione still looking amazed that she got one. Ron's complaining (as usual) about his being maroon.

Charlie sits beside them, informing his brother that he should get over it and fast. He isn't wearing his jumper; he has folded up in his lap and Bill caught him wiping his tears on the gray wool just a few minutes earlier.

Beside him is Percy, clad in his usual chocolate coloured one, he's even wearing the pink and white mittens Hermione and Ginny knitted as a joke. As he'd opened the package, they'd told him that if they were having hot chocolate, they'd need marshmallows as well. He'd laughed and slipped them on instantly.

Speaking of Ginny, she's sitting at Percy's feet, well on them actually. Her jumper this year is a pale purple colour, similar to Fleur's. Her hair is out, fanning across he shoulders and on to Harry's. Bill marvels at the bright contrast between the red of his sister's hair and the dark green of Harry's jumper. Surely his mother planned that. He follows Harry's gaze across the room to the tree, where he sees the true Christmas miracle for the year.

George stands with Victoire in his arms, laughing as she tries to snatch the decorations off the tree. His jumper is still the same as it's always been. This year it's magenta and orange, the official colours of the shop. Bill breathes in the sound of his brother's laughter, a sound that up until seven months ago, he wasn't sure he'd ever hear again.

Bill stands, with every intention of joining his brother and daughter, but gets waylaid by one last parcel. He's about to pick it up, about to tell them all that they missed one, when he catches sight of the label. To Fred, love always Mum and Dad. Instead, he slips it into Fleur's bag and joins the family in the usual debate about Ron's jumper.

Fleur comes in about five minutes later and leans over him. She glances around one for Victoire and then decided that she's in good hands. She notices him studying her.

"Yes William?"

"Why, Miss Delacour, I do believe you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"You flatterer"

They lean forward and kiss each other, to the approval of the family surrounding them.

Later that night, once they've returned to Shell Cottage, Bill slips his brother's jumper out of sight in his cupboard.

**Christmas Eve 1999**

Charlie looks around him and smiles. It doesn't matter how long he's been gone, the Burrow still feels and smells like home. He walks over to the tree to place his presents underneath, in the process studying the jumble of jumper shaped parcels that are already there. He reads the names on them, and smiles as thoughts of each person fill his head.

The Weasley jumpers. How he'd missed them the year of the war. Life just isn't the same without the fun of everyone unwrapping their bundles of warm soft wool. There were few things that reminded him of home as well as a jumper knitted by Molly. It was like having a small part of her everywhere he went.

Bill, himself, Percy, George, Ronald, Ginny, Fleur, Hermione, Angelina, Harry, Victoire and Teddy. Oh dear, he doesn't have a present for Teddy. Just as he's about to race out the door to buy one, another parcel catches his eye. To Fred, love always Mum and Dad. He hastily picks it up, lest George spots it and stows it away in his case for safe keeping.

When he returns home at the end of the holiday season, he stows the jumper in the top of his cupboard, never mentioning it to anyone.

**Christmas Day 2000**

Percy looks around at his family and smiles. On one couch sit Ron and Harry, looking across the room at Hermione and Ginny with looks of great fear on their faces. The two girls have managed to gather most of the jumpers and are using them to come up with a colour scheme for Ron and Hermione's wedding next year. He leans over the back of the couch and whispers in his brother's ear.

"Trust me; all you have to do is show up on time."

"I think I'll get there early then" Ron responds, still looking terrified.

The children, George and Angelina are climbing all over each other in the middle of the room. Percy smiles at his younger brother, who got engaged for Christmas.

On the third couch are Bill, Fleur and Charlie, chatting away about something, Fleur occasionally glancing over to the corner where Audrey sits on her own still holding her wrapped jumper in her lap.

Percy smiles as he makes his way over to her.

"That's not going to unwrap itself you know"

She smiles her thousand watt smile and responds.

"I'm worried Perce. I don't know what it is. I don't know if I'll like it, and I don't want to hurt your parents' feelings."

Percy almost laughed out loud. That was Audrey to a tee, always worrying about everyone else before herself.

"Well my dear, I do believe it's a Weasley jumper, but I've been wrong before. The only way we'll know is to open it. Besides, my parents' will be more upset if you never open it then if you do and don't like it."

He smiles as his wife rips into the packaging to reveal a soft, buttery yellow jumper. A letter falls out at the same time, directed to 'Miss Audrey Cross' in Arthur's steady print. She opens that also, straight after she pulls on the jumper. As she scans the letter, tears come to her eyes. Then, amazing Percy, she runs across the room and throws her arms around her in laws.

The power of the Weasley jumper never ceases to amaze Percy. It's Molly's way of welcoming someone to the family, its Molly's way of showing them that she's always thinking of them. It's her way of making sure she's always giving them love. And yet, a Weasley jumper can work wonders. It warms you up more than you'd ever imagine, it fills you with confidence and it tells you that you are truly loved.

Then, all his thoughts are interrupted when he discovers the true reason Audrey was hiding in the corner. Tucked away, out of sight in her bag is another brightly wrapped parcel. To Fred, love always Mum and Dad. Percy stands, leaving the room to stand outside in the snow, finally allowing himself to grieve for the loss of his baby brother. He isn't surprised when Arthur follows him out and wraps his arms around him. Nothing gets said, nothing needs to be said and instead the two men stand out in the snow until they run out of tears.

Once they get home that night, Percy stashes his brother's jumper in the top of his cupboard, and he and Audrey never speak of it again.

**Christmas Eve 2001**

Ron smiles as he looks around him. The house he and Hermione share is covered in tinsel from top to bottom. There's snow on the windows, lights on the porch, and mistletoe in the doorway. The only thing that's missing is the tree. They didn't put one up that year as they had no children, and would be spending Christmas day at the Burrow anyway.

"Ron? Come back to bed. It's freezing out here" Hermione calls from the doorway.

He walks over to join her, studying his wife's face like he'd been asked to memorize it. Her hair is rumpled, and she's wearing her jumper from last year, he can see all the places she's patched it up, unwilling to throw it out when it got a hole. It doesn't surprise him that the jumpers mean so much to everybody to gets them.

"Mistletoe, my dear Miss Granger" he whispers, taking her in his arms.

"Mrs. Weasley now, thank you very much" she responds, kissing him gently.

They return to their bedroom, Ron trying his hardest not to look at the cupboard, where earlier that day he'd hidden the package he'd found under his mother's tree. To Fred, love always Mum and Dad.

**Christmas Day 2002**

Ginny smiles as she looks around her house, then shouts up the stairs.

"Harry James Potter! Teddy Remus Lupin! Get your butts down here quick smart! We've got ten minutes to get to the Burrow!"

She then smiles as her boys come charging down the stairs, Harry's hair even more rumpled than it usually is, Teddy's a bright turquoise blue. He jumps from the second bottom step, a five year old bundle of energy.

They arrive at the Burrow, and the first person to approach her is Charlie.

"My god sis, you've gotten huge" he exclaims, then looks around in terror when she bursts into tears "oh god, what'd I say?"

She runs past him to the bathroom, tears coming thick and fast, while behind her she can hear Harry explaining. When she comes back out ten minutes later, she isn't surprised to see that everyone's already wearing their jumpers. She picks up her own parcel, revealing another beneath it. To Fred, love always Mum and Dad. She wonders if the others know, if there's been one every year, then slips it up her shirt, where no one will notice what with the bump and all. She unwraps her own, revealing a baby blue colour with pale pink cuffs. She laughs, understanding the implication. Her mother doesn't care what sort of baby she has, as long as it's a healthy one.

When her, Harry and Teddy return home, she sits on her bed, and unwraps the package. Sure enough, it's an exact match to George's. Bright orange, with a magenta 'F' on the front. She can't hold in the sobs that fill her throat, and before she knows it, the house is filled with her cries. Harry enters the room, calms her down, and then places the jumper in the top of her cupboard. They never mention it again after that.

**Christmas Eve 2003**

George walks through the snow towards the tree that marks his twin's final resting place. He kneels, soaking his jeans, but too happy to care.

"Hey" he whispers.

"I know I haven't been to see you for a while, but Angie had the kids. Roxanne and Fred. I wish you could see them Fred, they're so amazing. I wish you could see them all. The new generation of Weasleys and other degenerates. Teddy's getting huge, so is Vic. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up together actually. Dom's beautiful, but I don't think she realises it, she's kind of tucked away in the shadows, especially when Vic's around. Louis is one of the cutest babies I've ever seen, and James is like a mini Harry, but he gets that same look Ginny used to. Then again, a lot of the time that was because one of us was tickling her feet. Audrey fits in really well, surprisingly. I know she worries about Molly, but mum's taken her under her wing. You know mum, she couldn't care less about how magical we all were, just as long as we were hers. Hermione and Ron are trying for a baby, you can tell, every time they so much as look at one of the other's babies. She actually left the room when James was born, and when she returned she'd been crying. I wish there was something I could do for them."

George continued talking for an hour and a half, telling Fred all about the family he'd never meet. Then, he stood, placing a parcel on the grave before he went.

"I found this under the tree; I think she's been making them every year. I don't know what happened to the rest. I think the others might have hidden them. Anyway, this is for you. Merry Christmas Forge, wherever you're celebrating it."

Then he was gone, there was only the sound of the leaves moving in the breeze, an owl hooting somewhere in the distance and from the Burrow came the sounds of carols being sung.

All through the night, the snow fell onto the brightly wrapped parcel bearing the label: To Fred, love always Mum and Dad.

**Christmas Day 2004**

Molly smiled as she looked around the room, observing her family. Bill sat with Fleur and Charlie as always. They were talking quietly about something, continually glancing around at her. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry were all gathered around the other couch, also glancing at her every so often. Percy, George, Audrey and Angelina were sitting on the other one, laughing at the awful jokes George was making. Arthur meanwhile, was sitting in the corner reading a story to the grandkids. Molly looked around at all of them.

Teddy, Victoire, Dominique, the twins Fred and Roxanne and the youngest so far, Louis. All of them are wearing Weasley Christmas jumpers, each of them in their own colour, which is something Molly prides herself on. No two Weasleys' jumpers are identical. Then, she realises that she doesn't know where Molly is. She looks around, about to call out, only to spot the child picking up something form under the tree.

"Nanna!" she cries "there's one under here for you!" then comes racing across the room to hand it to her grandmother.

Molly smiles, and pulls the young girl onto her lap.

"Can you help me unwrap it?" she whispers, then laughs as she nods eagerly. Before they do, she reads the label. To Molly, love always, your fellow Weasley brides.

They unwrap it to find a large patchwork quilt, which on closer inspection she realises is made from segments of past Weasley jumpers. She feels tears come to her eyes as she reads the letter enclosed.

_Dear Molly,_

_We've made you this quilt in an effort to preserve the wonderful tradition of Weasley Christmas Jumpers. We have each received one, and each of us has been touched inside that you have thought of us, until we realised that you never get anything. So, to keep you warm on nights you don't have a grandchild on your knee, we give you a Weasley Jumper Quilt. Thank you for welcoming us so lovingly, so kindly. Thank you for keeping us warm._

_Love always,_

_Your daughters,_

_Fleur, Audrey, Angelina and Hermione Weasley_

_And your son,_

_Harry_

Molly studied the quilt carefully, sure enough; some of the patches were marked with the name of the person they belonged to.

"Thank you so much girls. And Harry."

They all laughed and expressed their relief that she liked it. Molly smiled as she looked around the room at her family, and wasn't surprised when she saw Arthur doing the same thing.

"Why, Molly Prewett, I do believe you're the prettiest witch I've ever seen" he informed her.

"You suck up" was her answer, before their lips joined in a kiss, to the approval of the people gathered around them.

"Merry Christmas Fred" she thought "love always, Mum and Dad."

**A/N: **I hope you liked that, I hope you read that. If you're wondering about the contents of Audrey's letter from Arthur look no further than my story 'Things I Know About You' Chapter 37 'You're In Good Hands'. Right, now that the shameless plug is done, Merry Christmas and in case I don't post again before then, Happy New Year.


End file.
